The Truth, or Something Like It
by Miss Natalya
Summary: Manny/Craig/Chloe – Ashley/Jimmy: Chloe Davidson appears at Degrassi CS and makes waves. Craig is confronted about his abuse. Please, review w/ harsh and brutal honesty
1. The New Girl

As always, I own nothing, I receive nothing, except the immense pleasure of bending characters to my will. Buahahahaha!  
  
Thank you, "Every Degrassi Episode Ever" Marathon, for providing me with divine inspiration and random factoids.  
  
"This is it, Manny." Emma Nelson spoke, looking up at the beckoning doors of Degrassi Community School.  
"Yep. Our first day as grade eights'." Manny replied, glancing over at her confident best friend. Emma smiled broadly at the anxious look on the face of her friend. It reminded her of the previous year; when they had arrived at their first day of grade seven. She remembered it like it was just last week, everything from the butterflies in her stomach to her memorable introduction to the social hierarchy, compliments of Spinner and Jimmy.  
"You aren't nervous, are you Manny?" Emma asked, grin widening. Manny looked offended, then nodded sheepishly. "There's nothing to be nervous about. We're grade eights' now, we're practically in charge."  
Just as the words passed Emma's lips, Paige and her entourage jostled her from behind. Her books were sent flying in every direction, and Spinner turned to smile back patronizingly.  
"You should be more careful." He called out, and Paige and Hazel laughed. Emma shook her head as she dropped to her knees to collect her fallen books.  
"I thought we'd finally be rid of them." Manny spoke, picking up a notebook from a nearby puddle and holding it up. She too shook her head woefully as the muddy water dripped back to the ground.  
"I know." Emma conceded, standing back up and starting up the stairs. A familiar voice called her back,  
"Hey wait, you forgot this." Emma turned quickly, wondering who was calling after her.  
"Oh hey, thanks . . . " she began, stopping short as she noticed whom she was speaking to. He was absolutely gorgeous, with shiny brown hair and wide brown eyes. He smiled up at her, and she found herself wondering desperately where she had seen him before. Manny merely stood nearby, dumbfounded and at a loss for words.  
"You're welcome. Emma, right? Emma Nelson?" He asked, walking up several steps so they all stood on the same level. "I'm Craig Manning, you obviously don't remember me. Our mothers' made us dance. At the wedding, years ago."  
"Oh yeah, Craig Manning. I remember. You're going to Degrassi now?" Emma took the book from his hand, and their fingers brushed. She colored swiftly.  
"Yeah, my dad and I just moved into our new house." He replied, and Manny was still confused. "We lived outside Toronto last year."  
"Oh." Manny squeaked, and then smiled brightly. There was a brief silence before Craig continued up the stairs.  
"Well, I'll see you guys later. I've got to get to class." He spoke, passing through the doors and leaving the two girls alone on the steps. They paused before slowly turning to face each other. Together they grasped hands and shrieked loudly. A nearby seventh grader looked terrified, and Manny and Emma laughed. With another, more subdued shriek they followed the crowd into the school.  
On their way to homeroom they again passed Paige, who was just now entering her own homeroom with Spinner and Hazel. Tossing back her hair with a manicured hand she surveyed the scene and made a shocking discovery. Someone was sitting in her seat.  
Paige had never seen the girl before. She wasn't particularly tall, but was extremely slender. Paige thought she looked rather fragile, silky blonde hair falling over her face, which was buried in a thick book.  
'This will be fun.' Paige thought, smiling an evil inward smile. 'What better way to start the ninth grade?'  
Walking swiftly across the room, she watched as Spinner slipped into the seat next to the new girl. Paige stood near the girl's black boot clad foot and waited for recognition. When none came, she cleared her throat. The girl finally looked up from her book, revealing a pretty face and dark green, inquisitive eyes.  
"Can I help you?" The girl asked, voice tinted with a slight French accent.  
"And you are?" Paige hissed venomously, pearly white teeth looking sharp as daggers. The new girl smiled broadly.  
"Chloe Davidson." She replied, offering Paige her hand. Paige looked at it in disgust.  
"Well, Chloe, I'm Paige Michalchuk and I'm in charge around here. This is my school, and you're in my seat." Paige explained, placing a talon tipped finger to Chloe's chest. "I was unaware the seats were assigned." Chloe replied, raising an eyebrow and causing the tiny ring that was attached there to glint in the florescent lights. Paige's nose wrinkled.  
"They aren't." "I guess this isn't your seat then, is it?" Chloe asked, and Paige looked furious. "Look hon, you're new here so I'll let you off the hook this once. Here's a hint, though. Don't cross me. I am the Queen Bee, and you'll regret it." Chloe merely smiled serenely.  
"Well Queenie, you may want to do yourself a favor and run along to the washroom. Apparently it's en vogue around here to wear your clothes a few sizes too small, but I'm pretty sure it's not in fashion to go around with your fly unzipped."  
Paige looked shocked and appalled as her hand flew to her mouth. The eyes of everyone in the room traveled swiftly to the area in question. Sure enough, her zipper lay unused at the base of its track. Coloring quickly, Paige made a hasty retreat to the washroom as Chloe settled more comfortably into the seat. The laughter was so uproarious that Mr. Simpson had to ask for quiet several times and threaten three separate students with lengthy detentions before he could begin the class. Paige slunk back in halfway through, shooting daggers at the girl occupying her seat next to Spinner.  
"The girl is deranged." Paige spoke later, as she sat on the courtyard wall with Spinner and Jimmy. Across the courtyard Chloe sat with Ashley. The two were laughing together loudly, and Ashley looked a lot happier than anyone had seen in a while. Spinner shook his head.  
"The girl is hot." He replied, and Paige spun to face him.  
"Hot? Did you just say she's HOT?! She's a freak. She's a Goth weirdo." She argued, hitting Spinner on the arm.  
"Actually, Paige, I wouldn't exactly call her a Goth. Just because she's dressed in all black, I mean, she's not even wearing makeup." Jimmy added.  
"Yes, she is! I can see her black eyeliner from here!" Paige attested, gesturing wildly.  
"He doesn't mean that kind of makeup. He means the white stuff. And the black lipstick." Spinner explained. Paige shrugged.  
"What makes her so hot?" Paige asked, and the two boys squinted in thought.  
"I don't know, she just is. She's got pretty hair." Spinner started, scratching his chin. Paige was livid.  
"Pretty hair? It's blonde. It's long. So what. I have long blonde hair, too. It's nothing special."  
"Yeah, but hers looks natural. Plus it's really shiny." Jimmy replied, and immediately received a smack on the arm.  
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked, looking from boy to boy.  
"Well, you have those dark roots." Spinner explained carefully. A look of rage started to blossom on her face and Spinner quickly reversed his track. "It's still really nice hair, though, even if it's not naturally blonde."  
"Yeah, Paige. You do have really, really nice hair." Jimmy added. Suddenly he thought of something else. "Have you seen her eyes?"  
"Yeah!! They're a crazy green color . . . " Spinner replied, getting into the conversation again.  
" . . . And they're really, really big!"  
"And she has those long dark eyelashes . . . "  
  
"Enough!!" Paige screamed, picking up her nearby bag and walking briskly into the school. Spinner and Jimmy looked at each other and laughed, then stood to follow after her. Across the courtyard, Ashley and Chloe were talking more quietly.  
"And now none of them will speak to you?" Chloe asked. Ashley shook her head, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.  
"I tried to apologize, but Paige just laughed at me." Ashley explained, voice starting to crack. Chloe placed a consolatory hand on her shoulder and smiled comfortingly.  
"Don't worry, Ash. They'll get over it, and if they don't they're not worth having for friends anyway. Paige's reign of terror can't last forever." Chloe explained, and Ashley laughed again.  
"I hope you're right."  
Both girls went back to eating their respective lunches when Chloe caught sight of a dark head across the crowd. Her mouth fell open in shock and she dropped her lunch bag on the floor. Surprising Ashley, she jumped up off the ground and raced across the courtyard to where Craig Manning stood talking to Sean. Without a word she slipped her hands over his eyes.  
Caught off guard, Craig jumped and spun around. There he found the last person in the world he would have expected to see. His heart leapt up into his throat and pounded like a hammer. A look of shock skidded across his face, which was quickly replaced by one of joy as he gathered her up into his arms.  
"Chloe Davidson, what on earth are you doing here?" He asked, setting her down. She smiled up at him broadly.  
"Same as you, I imagine. Going to school. I can't believe it's you! I haven't seen you in over a year!" she cried, kissing his cheeks and quickly squeezing him again. "I missed you."  
"Chloe was my best friend growing up. We were neighbors." Craig explained to the quietly dumbfounded Sean, who still stood nearby. "When you went away to school, I didn't think I'd ever see you again. I missed you so much. Why'd you stop writing me?"  
"I wrote you all the time. In fact, I wrote you last week to tell you I was coming back to the states." She replied, a look of suspicion spreading across her face. "I just assumed you hadn't written back because of your mother."  
"I stopped getting letters right after my mother died. Where did you send them?" He asked, an equally suspicious look appearing on his face.  
"To Joey Jeremiah's house. I assumed that's where you still lived." She replied. "You're not living with your father again, are you?"  
"Joey said he'd forward anything." Craig spoke, avoiding the subject and fiddling with his shirtsleeve. He absently tugged it over his wrist bone, where Chloe was sure she saw bruising.  
"Craig." She said, warning in her voice. Craig ignored it and smiled brightly.  
"Well, it doesn't much matter now, does it?" I'm so glad you're home!" He cried, pulling her into another hug. Sean raised his eyebrows and shook his head.  
"Craig, we've got to go to class now." Sean spoke, pulling on his shirt and gesturing toward the school. Craig nodded and kissed Chloe's forehead one last time.  
"Meet me out front after school. We can catch up some more." He told her, walking back up the stairs. Chloe nodded and started back to Ashley, who had watched the whole scene from her spot on the ground. Once she had arrived back Chloe smiled apologetically.  
"Sorry about that, Ash." She spoke, helping Ashley gather up the trash.  
"Old friend?" Ashley asked with a grin, and Chloe smiled as the two headed back into the school. 


	2. Catching Up

The sun had finally appeared as the final bell rang. Craig walked quickly outside to wait for Chloe, only to find her sitting in the warm grass next to Ashley. When she saw him coming she picked up her black messenger bag and kissed Ashley's cheek, then moved out on the sidewalk to join Craig.  
"Hey Chlo." He spoke, taking her bag and slinging it over his own shoulder.  
"Hey Craig." She replied, kissing his cheek and grinning madly. The two started to walk down the street. Chloe waved to Ashley a final time before they turned the corner out of sight. They quickly came to a small plot of trees and settled together in the grass.  
"So." Chloe spoke, picking several daisies and beginning to plait them together.  
"So." Craig replied, watching her hands move quickly over the stems.  
"I'm going to get right to the point. Why are you still living with your father?" She asked, pausing her work to lock eyes with him. He quickly shifted his gaze to his own daisy, which he was now making short work of. She waited a moment before reaching out and stilling his hands. "Craig."  
"He's my father, Chlo. He's all I've got. I haven't got anywhere else to go. Joey doesn't want me, now that Mom's gone. Dad loves me. Sort of." Craig replied, eyebrow furrowing as he tossed the flower to the ground. Chloe was suddenly livid. She reached out her hand again to gently grasp his wrist. She used her other hand to push back his sweater sleeve to reveal a budding blue-black bruise which looked as if someone had grabbed him a bit too roughly. Craig quickly pulled away and covered it again. Chloe shook her head.  
"Is that how he shows you he loves you, Craig? By hurting you?" she asked, trying again to capture his eye.  
"It's the only choice I have, Chlo. You just don't understand. I don't want to talk about it anymore." He spoke, effectively putting an end to the topic.  
"Fine. How's Angie?" She asked, finishing up her daisy wreath and placing it on top of Craig's almost-curls. A smile blossomed across his face and he reached into his bag to pull out a binder.  
"She's great. She's getting so big; I go see her whenever I can. It's so much easier since we moved back." He explained, pulling out several pictures he had printed of her. She shared Craig's shiny hair and bright smile.  
"She's adorable. You two look so much alike." Chloe replied, handing him back a picture of her on a swing. A sudden thought crossed Craig's mind.  
"You want to go see her?" He asked, standing quickly. Chloe nodded and accepted his helping hand. They gathered up their stuff and set of toward the playground. When they arrived, Angie quickly noticed her older brother and raced to meet him. He quickly put down the bags and his camera to catch her as she flew into his arms. They hugged for a moment and then he put her back on the ground.  
"Hey Ang, do you remember my friend Chloe?" He asked, and Angie smiled quietly. She quickly shook her head, struck with sudden shyness. "Well, she's one of my best friends in the whole world."  
"She's pretty." Angie finally spoke. "Craig's pretty too. He looks like a princess."  
"A princess?" He asked, and Chloe began to laugh. Suddenly he remembered the daisy wreath resting on his head. "Oh! You mean because of my royal crown! Well, how would you like to be Princess Angela?"  
Angie nodded vigorously as Craig knelt on the ground in front of her. She giggled as he removed the crown from his own head and placed it on hers. Hers was quite a bit smaller, and so it slipped forward over her eyes. Craig laughed as he tipped it back. Suddenly, from across the playground, a voice called out.  
"Angie! Time to go!" Craig looked up to see Angie's babysitter coming towards them. Craig kissed her cheek and stood up.  
"Gotta go, Ang. I'll see you again soon." He told her, starting away quickly.  
"Okay Craig. Bye Chloe!" Angie called after them, waving as they started back down the street. Once they were a safe distance away they stopped and Chloe tilted her head questioningly.  
"Afraid of the babysitter, Craig?" She asked, watching as Craig caught his breath. He looked at her for a moment before continuing to walk. "Let me guess. Your father doesn't want you seeing your sister."  
Craig shook his head and walked faster down the sidewalk. They walked in silence until they reached Chloe's house. Standing on her front porch, he looked over at the house he used to live in, back when his parents were still together. Things were a lot simpler then, his father wasn't so stressed all the time. He stood there for a long time, deep in thought, before Chloe kissed his cheek and took her bag from off his shoulder.  
"You should get home, Craig. It's getting late. Unless you want to stay for dinner, that is."  
Craig thought longingly for several moments about joining the Davidson family for dinner. Mr. and Mrs. Davidson had always treated him like a son, and he enjoyed eating at their house. In the end, though, he forced himself to shake his head.  
"No, Dad will worry." He replied, starting back down the stairs toward his own house, which happened to be four streets away. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
Chloe nodded and waved a final goodbye before entering the house and leaving him alone on the street. He quickly made off toward home, cutting through several backyards and finally arriving at his back door.  
He tried to be quiet as he pushed open the screen door and entered the kitchen. Unluckily for him, however, his father was sitting at the kitchen table. The room was dark, and Craig's heart was beating wildly. He tried to play it cool.  
"Hi dad. Sorry I missed dinner . . . " he began, dropping his camera and bag by the door and reaching for the light switch. His father was quicker than that, though, and grabbed his sore wrist before he even came close.  
"I work all day to put food on the table, Craig, and for what . . ."  
"Dad, you're hurting me." Craig spoke quietly, attempting to calm the growing rage of his father. He tried to pull away, but his father's grip only strengthened.  
"Where were you?" he growled, pulling his son closer. Craig attempted to force his voice into light tones.  
"I was catching up with Chloe. You remember, Chloe Davidson? She's back from France . . . " Craig's father nodded. "She said she's been writing me. I haven't been getting any letters. Do you think Joey might not be forwarding them?"  
"I thought I told you never to mention his name in this house. What are you accusing me of?" His father asked, and Craig could feel the danger in the question.  
"Nothing! Nothing, dad, I wasn't accusing you of anything . . . " Craig attempted to change the path of the conversation but was failing miserably.  
"If I did withhold any letters it was for your own good." His father spoke, shaking Craig by the wrist and causing pain to shoot up his arm. He felt the anger swell up in him.  
"My own good? You mean you have Chloe's letters?" he finally ripped his arm away from his father's iron grip. "You had no right to do that!"  
"I have every right. I'm your father. Do not speak to me in that tone, Craig."  
He tried to move out of reach but his father grabbed him again. Gripping him by the back of the neck, Craig's father pulled him roughly upstairs and tossed him into his room. Craig landed on the ground in an untidy pile, making an awful crashing sound.  
"Don't miss dinner again." He growled before slamming the door. Craig stood quickly and tried to open the door again. Even though the door locked from the inside, some moronic architect had designed all the doors in the death trap of a house to open out, so a chair lodged under the doorknob could prevent the door from opening. After a moment's struggle he gave up and collapsed back onto the bed, rubbing his wrist. He eventually fell into a fitful sleep.  
  
"I can't believe you danced with him!" Manny cried, flopping down on Emma's bed, where Emma herself already lay. Emma pushed back a stuffed animal that had fallen on her head and sighed contentedly.  
"I know, Manny. And he remembered me, too! I knew there had to be something good that would come out of having grade nines' at Degrassi!" Emma cooed, turning over to face her friend. "Not that it matters, I mean, I still like Sean."  
"Yeah, of course. What about me, though? Couldn't you just picture us together?" Manny asked, eyes growing dreamy. Emma frowned quietly.  
"You like him?" She asked, catching herself before she said more. Manny thought for a minute.  
"Yeah, I guess I do." 


	3. The Big 15

The next morning Craig found Chloe sitting with Ashley again, this time on the wall of the courtyard. Ashley grinned discretely and excused herself, citing a need to use the washroom before class. Craig settled down in her place and explained the missing letters. Chloe shook her head.  
"Why would he do such a thing?" She asked. Craig shrugged as he fiddled absently with some grass.  
"I have no idea. Just exercising his parental power, I suppose." He offered, and Chloe noticed the bruise on his wrist was now bigger. She reached out to grasp his arm but he stood abruptly. "Gotta go, class and all."  
He planted a kiss on the top of her head before jetting off into the school. Ashley returned just in time to see him go.  
"What's his issue?" She asked, starting to walk inside. Chloe shook her head as she stood and followed Ashley.  
"He'd rather bury his head in the sand than face facts." Chloe explained cryptically. The two passed Paige and Terri on the stairs, and Paige stopped. Chloe and Ashley walked past, completely ignoring them. Paige's eye narrowed as she turned to complain to Terri.  
"That freaky girl is having a terrible affect on this school. Just look at all these people wearing black!" She cried, pointing at everyone else. In truth, Paige was right. There was considerably more black clothing on the people of Degrassi. Paige looked down at her own hot pink capris and baby blue tank top and sighed. Terri nodded sympathetically, but when Paige glanced over she found the girl to be wearing a black skirt and cardigan. "Terri!"  
"It's slimming!" Terri replied sheepishly, and Paige shook her head before stalking off.  
  
Later that afternoon Craig approached Chloe on her way to Gym class. He was smiling brightly. She paused in her trek to smile back at him.  
"You certainly look pleased." She spoke, as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and guided her down the hall.  
"I certainly am, Miss Chloe. I just remembered. Your birthday is on Friday." He spoke, and several people turned.  
"Your birthday?" Spinner asked, who was standing nearby with Jimmy. "How old?"  
"The big 1-5." Craig told him with a grin.  
"15! You having a party?" Jimmy asked. Chloe shook her head. Jimmy and Spinner exchanged glances.  
"What does that look mean?" She asked, huddling closer to Craig in mock terror. They grinned wider.  
"We're going to have a party for you. At Jimmy's house." Spinner explained.  
"On Friday. Will you come?" Jimmy asked, dropping to one knee. Spinner followed suit. Chloe just rolled her eyes.  
"Who would be invited to this party?" She asked, suspicious.  
"Everyone." Spinner replied. Chloe's eyebrow rose again.  
"Everyone? Your parents won't care?" She asked Jimmy with disbelief lacing her voice. He shook his head.  
"Out of town." There was a brief silence before Chloe nodded and the two boys let out a cheer. Jimmy stood up on a nearby bench and demanded the attention of the crowd.  
"Everyone, listen up. You're all invited over to my house on Friday night, for Chloe Davidson's fifteenth birthday party. Bring food and gifts!" He finished, and Chloe hit him on the arm. The bell rang just then, announcing they were all very late. They each called out a farewell before splitting off in different directions.  
By the end of the day everyone had heard about Chloe's party. The news was buzzing around Paige and Terri as the got ready to leave the building. Paige was disgusted.  
"Spinner and Jimmy have never thrown me a party. It must be a trick, something to make her look stupid." She reasoned, and Terri looked skeptical.  
"I don't think so, Paige. I heard them talking during lunch. Spinner said he's bringing a cake." She explained, then asked, "You're not going?"  
"Of course I'm going, Terri. Don't be stupid, everyone's going to be there. I'm just going to turn it into my party." Paige replied with an intensely evil giggle. Terri was confused.  
"How are you going to do that?" She asked, running after Paige who had started to walk away briskly.  
"You'll see, Terri. You'll see."  
  
"Ashley! What do you mean, 'not going'!" Chloe scolded, as she and Ashley sat down in their usual spot in the grass. Ashley shook her head.  
"I just can't, Chlo. I'm really sorry, but it's not going to happen. After everything that happened with Jimmy, there's no way I can go to his house."  
"Ashley, it's my birthday. You have to be there!" Chloe argued, tugging on her friend's sleeve.  
"Chloe . . . "  
"Please, Ash. Do it for me, you don't know how much it'll mean to me. It won't be any fun without you." Chloe added, sticking out her lower lip and whimpering pitifully. Finally, Ashley cracked a smile.  
"Fine, brat. I'll go. But you're not to leave my side all night. And if I want to leave, I'm going to leave." She warned, and Chloe grinned gleefully. She reached out and pulled Ashley into a tight hug. Suddenly, a flash lit the area. Both girls looked around quickly, and found that Craig had just snapped a picture of them.  
"Aw, Kodak moment." He said with a laugh, and Chloe stuck out her tongue. Craig snapped another picture and then let his camera hang around his neck.  
"What are you doing today?' She asked.  
"Going to see Angie. Want to come?" He offered. Chloe shook her head and gestured to Ashley.  
"Plans." She explained, and Craig nodded.  
"See you guys later." He spoke, heading off toward the park.  
"Bye." They called in unison. They were silent for a moment after he had left before Ashley noticed Paige furiously batting her eyelashes at a burly and thick looking tenth grader. The puzzlement that appeared on her face caused Chloe to follow her line of sight to Paige and the boy. He smiled as she touched his arm and they laughed together loudly.  
"Wonder what Paige is doing with Vinny." She pondered.  
"Vinny? That's a mob name if I ever heard one." Chloe responded, shaking her head at Paige's shameless flirting.  
"No doubt. He's dumb as rocks. He's a star wrestler, though. It's the only reason he's not repeating the ninth grade."  
"He looks about twenty three." Chloe added. Ashley nodded.  
"That's just wrong." She replied with a shiver as she and Chloe stood to start walking to Ashley's house. Across town, Craig arrived at the park to find Emma and Manny swinging with Angela on the swing set.  
"Hey Emma, Manny." He called, and Angela leapt off her swing. She reached him within seconds and he swept her up into his arms. "Hey Angie!"  
"Hey Craig." Emma and Manny replied in unison, each with their own version of a nervous giggle. Craig tossed Angie onto his back and walked back over to the swings.  
"What are you guys up to?" He asked, laughing as Angela grabbed at his nose.  
"Nothing. Talking about Chloe's party. Are you going?" Emma asked, peering up at him expectantly.  
"Yeah, of course I'm going. Chlo's my very best friend. Right Ang?" Angela smiled broadly and nodded.  
"Yep. She's pretty." Craig laughed at the statement.  
"Yeah she is, Ang. Are you guys going?" He asked, finally returning Angela to the ground. Emma nodded and Manny shook her head. Both Craig and Emma looked to her in unison and asked,  
"Why?"  
"Because." Manny replied, looking sheepish. "I don't have a date."  
"Manny! You have to go. I don't want to go alone!" Emma cried, stopping her swinging with her feet and causing dust to fly everywhere.  
"I don't want to, Emma. I'll never find a date." She paused. "Unless you take me, Craig."  
Emma looked shocked but Craig smiled.  
"Sure, Manny. Sounds like fun." He replied, glancing at his watch. He balked at the time displayed there. "Oh man, I gotta get home. I'll see you guys later. Bye Ang, I'll give you a call, Manny."  
He hugged Angela for a final time before waving goodbye and taking off toward home. When he was gone Emma turned to Manny to watch a self satisfied smirk appear on the face of her best friend.  
"Manny, did you just ask him out?" Emma asked, and Manny nodded. "When did you decide you were going to do that?"  
"I don't know." She replied with a shrug. "It doesn't really matter, though. I'm going to the biggest party of the year with Craig Manning!" 


	4. Friday

Friday approached more quickly than anyone expected. The day dawned warm and sunny, a final hot burst of Indian summer. Ashley was on her way to lunch when she turned the corner and ran directly into Jimmy. All her books where strewn on the ground and she quickly bent to gather them. He was swiftly on the ground by her side, helping.  
"Sorry, Ash. Didn't mean to run you over." He spoke, handing her a book and standing to leave. "See ya."  
"Wait, Jimmy. Please. I need to talk to you." She pleaded, standing up as well. He looked skeptical, but remained in place.  
"Talk." He replied, leaning up against the nearby wall. Ashley began without another breath.  
"I'm so, so sorry about everything. I can't believe how stupid I was last spring. It didn't even feel like me saying those things." She finally paused. "I missed you."  
"I missed you too, Ash." He finally replied, smiling weakly.  
"Friends?" She asked, holding out her hand.  
"Friends." He replied, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. They pulled away at last and there was a pregnant pause. "So. You going to the party tonight?"  
"Yeah."  
"Good. See you there." He finished awkwardly, taking off down the hall.  
"Bye." Ashley called after him faintly. Ashley raced off to the courtyard to tell Chloe everything. On the way she passed Emma and Manny standing at Manny's locker.  
"So what did he say when he called?" Emma asked, thirsty for knowledge. Intense happiness appeared on Manny's face and a dreamy look came over her eyes.  
"He said he'd be walking to the party, and that he could pick me up on the way. We're walking there together." Manny explained, and Emma veiled her mixed feelings about the situation with a thin smile.  
"Well. What are you going to wear?" She asked, watching as panic slid across Manny's face.  
"I . . . I have no idea!" She cried, grasping for the arm of her friend. Emma smiled as she wrapped an arm around Manny's shoulder.  
"Don't worry, Manny. We'll pick out something." She assured as the two passed into the cafeteria. Manny smiled.  
"Thanks Emma. You're such a great friend!"  
  
That afternoon the school cleared quickly. Everyone was racing home to get ready for the night's events. Ashley walked home faster than usual to stand in front of her closet. What just that morning had seemed so full of options was suddenly devoid of anything she would even CONSIDER wearing. After her thirteenth clothing combination she could feel the panic starting to build. With shaking hands she picked up the phone and dialed.  
"It's hopeless, Chlo. I'm never going to look good enough to go to this party." Ashley moaned into the telephone, voice thick with tears. On the other end Chloe was alarmed, then worked quickly to calm her friend.  
"Take a deep breath, Ash. Everything's going to be fine. The first thing you need to do is stop crying. Can you come over to my house? Right now?" Chloe asked, and Ashley hiccupped a reply.  
"Yes. Why?"  
"You'll really have to trust me on this one Ash. I have an idea, for a makeover. A drastic one."  
Three hours later Ashley and Chloe stood outside Jimmy's house. Ashley took a deep breath and pushed open the door. The room was filled with people, as the party was already well underway. Spinner and Jimmy each appeared from separate directions to welcome Chloe with hugs.  
"I see the guest of honor has finally decided to grace us with her presence. Happy Birthday!" Jimmy spoke, before Spinner nudged him in the ribcage. "Who's your friend . . . "  
As quickly as the question had begun, it ended, and all eyes turned to stare at the girl flanking Chloe. Jimmy was dumbfounded, and Spinner looked surprised and intrigued.  
"Ashley?" Spinner asked, and Jimmy's mouth dropped open. "You look . . ."  
"Hot." Jimmy finished, examining Ashley's new look. She had shorn her shoulder length locks for a wispy pixie cut, which she had dyed a lurid and foreboding black. She wore a pair of tight black pants and a black mesh shirt, obviously both on loan from Closet de Chloe. Her eyes were rimmed heavily with black kohl and her lips were smeared with a dark shade of lipstick. She smiled at Jimmy, who reached out and took her arm to lead her away from the crowd. As soon as she was gone Chloe was ambushed from behind and pulled into a tight hug.  
"Happy Birthday Chlo!" Craig cried, kissing her cheek and smiling brightly. Manny hovered at his shoulder looking awestruck.  
"Hey Craig. Having fun?" Chloe asked, tugging down the hem of her dress, which had come up during the hugging. Craig nodded vigorously.  
"Chloe, this is Manny, my date. Manny, this is my best friend, Chloe Davidson." Craig spoke lightly, introducing the two. Manny held out an awkward hand and Chloe grasped it, smiling broadly.  
"Hap . . . happy Birthday." Manny offered, and Chloe's smile widened.  
"Thanks. I like your dress." Chloe replied, and Manny blushed self- consciously. She had felt rather attractive in her dress, which was a peach one of Emma's that was only slightly too big. Now, standing next to Chloe in her elegant black summer dress she felt as though fate had played a cruel trick on her.  
"Hey Craig, are you monopolizing the birthday girl?" Spinner asked, appearing from nowhere to slip an arm around Chloe's waist. Craig shook his head and held up his hands in a cry of innocence. Spinner grinned. "Good. Come look at all these presents . . . "  
He led Chloe off to look at the stack of gifts and Craig led Manny over to sit next to Emma on the couch. As they sat, Emma turned to look at them. They both smiled at her.  
"Having fun?" Manny asked, and Emma simply rolled her eyes and turned away. In the next room, Chloe was amazed.  
"All these are for me?" She asked, gazing over the immense pile before her. Spinner nodded. "How am I supposed to get them all home?"  
"Don't know. Didn't think about that." He replied, wandering off lost in thought. Suddenly there was a sweaty hand tugging at her elbow. She turned swiftly to find Vinny, the Stone Age tenth grader, pulling on her arm.  
"Hey Chloe. Happy Birthday." He spoke, attempting an innocent smile.  
"Thanks." She replied, and began to turn away.  
"Wait, your friend sent me to get you." He told her, grasping her arm again. She looked confused.  
"My friend? You mean Craig? Why would he send you?" She asked, suspicion growing. He looked puzzled for a moment.  
"I was passing by. He's upstairs, he wants to talk." He explained, finally succeeding in pulling her toward the stairs. "He's in the first room on the right."  
Chloe began to climb the staircase, glancing behind to see Vinny climbing after. She opened her mouth to question him when he turned off.  
"Just using the bathroom." He replied to her unasked question as she turned into the room. As soon as she passed the threshold of the room she remembered the bathroom being on the ground floor, right next to the table covered with gifts. By then, though, it was too late, and Vinny had passed through the door as well. Quickly locking the door behind him he grinned.  
"What are you doing?" She asked. His grinned widened. "Where's Craig?"  
"Relax . . . " He told her, stroking her arm. She pulled away, shaking her head.  
"No. This is really shady. I'm leaving." She replied, starting for the door. Within a second he was roughly gripping her by the arm.  
"I don't think so. Not until we have a little fun." He said, pulling her back and pushing her up against the dresser. She landed hard against it and was quickly pinned there by the weight of his immense body. He had then grabbed both her wrists and was keeping her captive with one hand. Her silver charm bracelet dug into her skin.  
"Let go of me." She demanded, trying to push him off.  
"Quiet." He said, reaching down his free hand to feel the length of her thigh. She opened her mouth to scream, and he quickly clamped the hand over it. Chloe felt the panic rising in her chest as he forced her over onto the bed. She was pinned there for several seconds before he was forced to move his hand off her mouth to his own zipper. Chloe saw her chance and screamed as loud as she could. She continued to scream until he was forced to clamp his hand over her lips again.  
Downstairs in the living room Craig was still sitting with Manny on the couch. As soon as he heard the scream he knew who it was. Without another thought he leapt off the couch and bounded up the stairs. He found the nearest door to be locked, and he could hear Chloe's muffled cries from within.  
"Chloe! Chloe, can you hear me?" He called, pounding loudly on the door. Behind the door Chloe could hear Craig's voice. She thought quickly and sunk her teeth into Vinny's clammy hand.  
"Craig!" She managed to yell before he recovered. Craig pounded desperately on the door for a moment before Spinner and Jimmy appeared from downstairs. Without a word Spinner helped Craig knock down the door. The three rushed in, and Craig reached Vinny first. He pulled him off Chloe and tossed him over to Spinner. Gathering her up in his arms, he carried her over to the head of the bed, where he set her down. She clung to him tenaciously, shaking like a leaf.  
"Chloe, are you okay?" He asked, smoothing back the hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. She nodded and he held her tighter.  
"What's wrong with you, man?" Jimmy asked, shaking his head as Spinner pushed Vinny up against the wall. Ashley appeared from the hall.  
"What happened? Are you okay Chlo?" she asked, crossing the room quickly. Chloe sunk into Ashley's arms as Craig turned, finally remembering about Vinny. All the rage returned and he was furious at the thought that someone had tried to hurt her.  
"You bastard!" he yelled, launching at Vinny. He got in several punches before Vinny could strike back. Vinny knocked Craig to the ground with a blow to the face before Spinner and Jimmy could pull him off. Paige appeared in the doorway.  
"What's going on here?" she asked sweetly. Chloe left Ashley's arms to help Craig up off the ground. Jimmy turned to Vinny, who was struggling in Spinner's arms.  
"Get out of my house." He ordered, and Vinny shook off his restraint.  
"Not a problem." He replied, stalking toward the door holding his bruised face. He stopped briefly to regard Paige. "See if I ever do you a favor again."  
Five pairs of eyes turned to Paige, who looked rather sheepish.  
"This was your idea?" Ashley asked, shocked.  
"It's not like that . . . " Paige started, but Spinner interrupted her.  
"That's low, Paige. Even for you." He spoke, shaking his head.  
"I just asked him to keep her quiet for a while, so she'd miss the party. I never asked him to do anything like this. You've got to believe me." She tried to explain, but no one was buying it.  
"I think you should leave too, Paige." Jimmy spoke, gesturing with his head toward the door. Paige merely stood in place, speechless. After several moments she mustered up the courage to speak.  
"Leave? But Jimmy, I . . . " she began, but was cut off again.  
"Get out of here, Paige!" Ashley cried, and Paige started to back away. When she was finally gone, Spinner turned to Chloe and Craig.  
"You guys going to be okay?" Spinner asked, and together they nodded.  
"You want to come back to the party?" Jimmy asked Chloe, who shook her head.  
"No, I think I'm just going to head home. Do you mind?" She asked, standing up from the bed.  
"Of course not, Chlo. Go home and get some rest. I'll call you in the morning." Ashley told her, enveloping her in a hug and giving her a quick peck on the cheek. Spinner and Jimmy started to leave, and Ashley started to follow when Craig called her back.  
"I'm going to walk Chloe home. Ash, can you tell Manny where I've gone? Tell her I'm sorry." He spoke, taking off his leather jacket and slipping it over Chloe's shoulders. Ashley nodded.  
"Okay, so I tell Manny that you'll talk to her later?" She asked, and Craig nodded. Chloe started out the door, pausing as she passed Spinner and Jimmy.  
"Thanks for the party, guys. It was really sweet." She told them, giving them each a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "My brother will be home from college in the morning, I'll send him over with his car to get the gifts and things. Is that okay?"  
"Not too early, okay?" Jimmy joked with a wink, and Chloe smiled.  
"Don't worry, my brother's dead to the world till at least noon. Have fun, all." She said finally, heading down the stairs and out the door, into the now cool night. Craig followed after her, shutting the door behind him. Manny had arrived in the foyer just in time to see his retreating form closing the entryway. She started to call after him when Ashley appeared at the bottom of the staircase.  
"Manny, right?" She asked, and Manny nodded. "Craig wanted me to tell you that he's sorry he has to leave you, but he wanted to walk Chloe home. He said he's talk to you later."  
Manny looked crestfallen as Emma appeared behind her.  
"Manny, what's going on?" She asked. Manny started to look teary- eyed. "Where'd Craig go?"  
"He's walking Chloe home. Something happened to her, upstairs with Vinny, that thick headed sophomore." Ashley explained.  
"What happened?" Manny finally asked. Ashley shook her head.  
"Paige asked Vinny to keep Chloe away from the party, you know, just long enough for Paige to steal the spotlight. I guess Vinny got the wrong idea and tried to force himself on her." She explained. The other girls were shocked.  
"He tried to rape her?" Emma asked, jaw dropping. Ashley nodded before turning and walking away to find Jimmy. Emma and Manny shared a glance before returning to the living room. 


	5. Revelation

Craig and Chloe were just passing Degrassi Street on their way to Chloe's house.  
"You really didn't have to walk me home, Craig. I'm actually quite adept at finding my way, even in the dark." She joked, and Craig smiled.  
"Very funny. I know I didn't have to walk you home. I wanted to. After what happened tonight, I can't help but worry about you."  
"But Manny . . . " She started, but was cut off.  
"Manny will understand. Besides," he spoke, looking ahead to where Vinny stood leaning against a fence. "It looks like you need an escort."  
As they approached Vinny's spot on the wall, the older boy stood up from his position and planted himself in the center of the sidewalk. A grotesque smile appeared on his face as the two approached.  
"Hey there, Chloe. Back for another round?" He asked, gesturing lewdly. Craig was immediately enraged and moved in to throw a punch. Chloe was forced to grab him by the arm and struggle to hold him back.  
"Please Craig, don't. Let's just go home." She pleaded, and finally he stopped trying to pull away.  
"Fine, let's go." He finally conceded, wrapping an arm around her waist protectively. Vinny laughed.  
"Ha, I see you're not so tough without your friends around to back you up. What's the matter, Craig, afraid I'm going to pound you again?" he called after their retreating forms. Craig was nearly shaking with anger by the time they were out of earshot. Chloe turned to him, smiling.  
"Thank you, Craig. I don't think I can take anymore fighting today." She said, standing on her toes and kissing his lips softly. Craig was struck with a sudden revelation.  
It wasn't the first time Chloe had kissed him. She kissed his cheeks almost every day. It wasn't even the first time she had kissed his lips; she always had a way of making it feel appropriate. In that one moment, though, Craig was struck speechless at the feeling blossoming in his chest. It took him a moment to realize what this new feeling meant, and as soon as he did everything made sense. He loved Chloe.  
He had always loved Chloe, from the first time they met to the day she had left for Paris. All his life he had loved his best friend, and in one moment he understood thirteen years of friendship. Now, as they walked down the street, arms wrapped around each other, the gravity of the situation finally reached Craig's brain. The truth was, he was in love with his best friend, and had no idea how to act around her. 


	6. Explosions

A/N: Before I write any further, I feel I should take a moment to explain the timeline of the story and apologized for several errors made within the preceding text. If you are easily bored or don't care, skip the next two paragraphs.  
  
In actuality, this entire story is an alternate version of the second season (or so it's called in my circles). It begins on the first day of school, and almost everything beyond is a figment of my imagination. The actual episodes, though were often taken into consideration, were rarely used in the process. I also had to add a bit of my own history, as the episode where Ashley takes X was never aired here. I just decided that she took some sort of drug and then said nasty things to all her friends, thus making them bitter and angry. To those who ask where JT, Toby, Liberty, Marco, Ellie, and Kendra are, here's the answer: I find them all rather boring (except for Ellie and Marco, that is, who simply had no real place in my plot). I've realized that Chloe, my OFC (or Mary-Sue, if you like), Is very, very much like Ellie. This was pointed out in reviews and I also saw it when reading character reviews at the-n.com and Degrassi.tv. If any Ellie fans find this offensive, I'm sorry!  
  
Errors:  
In the first chapter, Chloe refers to one of her letters as being about her return to "the states". This was a mental error on my part, which comes from living on the border of the US and Canada.  
Also, though not an error, in the first chapter Craig states that he and his father lived "outside Toronto", which, obviously, is the setting of Degrassi itself. In this chapter, "outside Toronto" is meant to refer to far, far outside Toronto.  
  
Thank you, Miss Natalya  
  
*** As always, I own no Degrassi characters or the like, though Chloe Davidson and family are my intellectual property.  
  
***  
  
It took them longer than usual to arrive back at Chloe's house. Truthfully, it was a rather lovely night and both Craig and Chloe were enjoying the walk. When they finally arrived at their destination, Craig found that he was actually disappointed. He watched as Chloe climbed the front steps. She stopped halfway up, making them equal in height.  
"Well, Chlo. Here we are." He said. Chloe nodded.  
"Thank you, Craig. For everything. You're my knight in shining armor." She told him with a broad smile, kissing his cheek one last time before continuing up the stairs. She paused at the doorway. "Goodnight, Craig."  
"Goodnight, Chloe." He replied, watching as the door closed behind her. Left alone on the dark street he heaved a sigh before setting off toward home. As he walked a soft rain began to fall, causing his dark hair to curl in his face. He brushed it away and walked faster. He finally arrived home and again tried his back door entrance. It appeared to work until he started down to his darkroom. When he reached the stairs, his father appeared out of nowhere.  
"Where have you been, Craig?" He asked, glancing over his frightened son.  
"I was at the party, Dad. Remember, the one at Jimmy Brooks'." His father nodded. "I'm going down to the darkroom."  
A hand flew out and caught the side of his face before he even reached the first step. Craig turned to his father, holding his cheek in shock. In his father's other hand Craig saw it, his worse fears embodied in one moment. His father had it, his photo album, the secret one he kept hidden in a drawer in his darkroom. It was the album filled with pictures, ones he had printed of his "perfect family". He could feel the color drain from his face as his father struck him across the chest with the book.  
"What is this, Craig? Some sort of sick joke?" He asked, striking his son again as Craig backed up against the wall, curling against the hail of blows in a futile attempt to protect himself. He was struck several more times before he had backed as far as the main staircase. Without another thought Craig took off up the stairs, stumbling several times before reaching his room. He slammed the door shut behind him, locking all four locks. His father appeared on the other side of the door, pounding furiously on the thick wood. For once in his life, Craig thanked the architect. Finally, the pounding died away and he could hear his father's heavy breathing. After a minute or two all was silent and Craig fell down on the bed.  
There was no way he could sleep in the same house with the man who had just left him bleeding, so without a plan Craig climbed out his window and into the nearby tree. He shimmied to the ground and set off down the road.  
  
The clock on the wall read 12:33 and Chloe was still awake. Setting down her glass of water on the end table she turned off the harsh overhead light. Moving with swift deftness she lit several nearby candles, bathing the room in a warm glow. Outside, the rain fell on the balcony.  
Suddenly, Chloe was aware of a presence outside her window. She jumped at first, then recognized the form as a very wet Craig. Moving quickly across the room she drew him in, through the doors and into the paltry light, where he dripped on the cool tile floor.  
"Craig, what on earth are you doing here?" She asked, crossing the room to the bathroom, where she gathered a large clean bath towel. He remained silent for a moment before Chloe noticed the blood. His shirt was soaked with it, apparently having dripped from the cut above his eye and on his lip.  
"Chlo, I'm sorry it's so late. I didn't know where else to go." He tried to explain, but tears quickly started to form in his eyes.  
"Don't worry about it. What happened?" She asked, unbuttoning his shirt and sliding it off his slender shoulders. It was then that she was confronted with the extensively budding bruises that covered almost all of Craig's upper body. "Oh Craig."  
"I fell." He replied simply and unconvincingly. Chloe shook her head.  
"Do you think I'm stupid, Craig? I can't believe he would do something like this." She said, dabbing his cuts with a facial tissue and drying his hair with the towel. She left for a moment to find him a set of dry clothes. When she returned she found him gazing intently at a picture on her bureau. She approached him silently from behind and saw what he was looking at.  
It was a picture taken when they were young, neither of them older than seven. They had just come back from a day at the beach, and were sitting on the front steps with their arms around each other. They looked sun kissed and sandy, but most of all they just looked happy.  
"These are Cam's, they'll probably be too big, but they're dry at least." Chloe spoke without preamble, causing Craig to jump. He turned slowly and offered a weak smile as he accepted the weathered Pearl Jam tee shirt and Lacrosse shorts. After a quick stop in the bathroom to change Craig reentered the room and found Chloe curled up in her bed, leopard print blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. There was an old TV in the corner, and a movie flickered on it. Craig quickly realized it was Breakfast at Tiffany's, Chloe's favorite. He crossed the room and crawled into the bed next to her.  
Together they snuggled until the candles died away. The movie played on, but Craig found it increasingly hard to keep his eyes open. As Audrey Hepburn began to search for her cat, he looked over to find Chloe's head drooped on his shoulder, her eyes closed. Reaching for the nearby remote, he clicked the film to a stop and drifted off to sleep. 


	7. Breakfast at the Davidson's

When Craig awoke in the morning, pale sunlight was just beginning to filter through the window shades. He quickly glanced over at Chloe, who was still sleeping peacefully, her honey colored hair falling in a wild cloud across her pillow. Careful not to disturb her, he rolled over painfully to watch the light change on the tile floor. After an hour or two he glanced at the clock. 10:30.  
Standing cautiously, he started out the door and down the stairs. He wondered briefly if he'd be met in the kitchen with a shotgun. It wasn't every day that old neighbors showed up in your kitchen wearing your son's clothes. Throwing caution to the wind he pushed open the door and walked slowly into the kitchen. Mr. Davidson sat with Chloe's younger sister Alison at the table, and Mrs. Davidson was working to create what looked like waffles. All three looked up briefly. Alison bounced out of her seat, overjoyed.  
"Hi Craig!" She squeaked, throwing her arms around him. "I haven't seen you since, since . . . "  
"Since you were this tall." Craig finished with a smile, holding out his hand to indicate the top of her shoulder. The girl had grown much taller since the last time he had seen her. Before Alison had looked like a miniature Chloe, with darker blonde, curlier hair. Now Craig very much doubted that Chloe was any taller than her younger sister. Mrs. Davidson smiled from the stove.  
"Ali, leave Craig alone. He looks as though he's just woken up!" she admonished. Craig's mind raced.  
"Yeah, I got stuck in the downpour last night, Chloe gave me some dry clothes and let me sleep in Cameron's room." He explained quickly. Mr. Davidson looked up from his paper, confused.  
"I thought Cam was home last night." He pondered, and Craig's heart dropped.  
"And imagine my surprise to find this guy sleeping in my bed." Came a voice from the doorway. The six two form of Chloe's older brother Cameron filled the doorway, looking disheveled and groggy. He gave Craig a conspiratorial wink and sat down at the table with his father and his sister. He motioned for Craig to sit as well. Craig obliged, and Mrs. Davidson turned again.  
"Are you hungry, Craig? I made enough waffles to feed the whole neighborhood." She spoke, flipping several on a plate and handing them his way. Craig thanked her and took the plate. She looked at her watch. "It's nearly 11. Ali, go wake your sister up."  
"No, let me." Cameron spoke, raking a hand through his dark hair and grinning furiously. He bounded off up the stairs and several seconds passed before a scream rang out through the kitchen.  
"Cam!" Cameron appeared several seconds later, Chloe in his arms. She struggled to the ground and punched him on the arm. He ducked defensively and laughed.  
"Mother, never let him wake me up again. Ever." She cried, dropping down to sit between Craig and Alison.  
"What did he do?" Craig asked, stabbing more waffle with his fork. Chloe pushed back her tangled hair and sighed.  
"Besides scaring me half to death, he nearly crushed me. You know, in normal families people don't get woken up by airborne bodies!"  
"Define 'normal'." Cameron spoke, digging into his own plate of waffles. Craig smile faded into a frown as he suddenly realized the gravity of his situation. If he didn't get home soon, his father would realize he was gone and come looking for him. The last thing he wanted was his father showing up on Chloe's doorstep. Leaping from his chair, he placed his plate in the sink and backed toward the stairs.  
"I should get home. Chores. Thanks for breakfast, Mrs. Davidson." He spoke rapidly, turning on his head and running upstairs to find his clothes. He had just pulled on his pants when Chloe entered the room. He looked up briefly before continuing his search for his shirt.  
"Craig, you can't go back there." She spoke, following behind him as he pushed aside a stack of books.  
"Why not, Chloe? It's where I live. It's where I belong, isn't it?" He spoke, moving a group of throw pillows and lifting a comforter.  
"Why not? Did you just ask 'why not'? Craig, look at your chest!" She cried, pulling him to a stop and running her fingers lightly over the ugly bruise that lay there. He flinched and pulled away, continuing his hunt.  
"I told you, Chloe. I've got nowhere to go." He explained, and Chloe sighed.  
"What about Joey? Have you even talked to him? I'm sure if he knew . . "  
"Knew what? That my dad's a bastard? That he hits me? What do you think Joey's going to do? Feel sorry for me?" Craig questioned, finally stopping to speak.  
"It's not right, Craig." She spoke, pulling his shirt out from underneath the bed pillow. "Joey would help you. You need help."  
"I don't need anything, Chlo. I'll be fine." he replied, slipping on his shirt with a mild wince and kissing her cheek. "Thanks for taking care of me last night. I'll see you on Monday."  
With that he left, and Chloe sat down on her bed. After a moment she moved out onto the damp balcony to watch as his retreating form wove in and out of backyards on his way home.  
"I hope so, Craig." She said to herself, closing the curtains and returning to the kitchen. 


	8. Makeups and Heartache

It was Monday afternoon before Craig saw Chloe again. She was sitting in the courtyard with Ashley and Jimmy. He was just crossing over to see her when Manny popped up in front of him. He looked bewildered for a moment before smiling at her.  
"Hey Manny. Sorry about having to bail on you last week, Chloe needed to get home. Did you have fun after I left?" He asked, and Manny smiled dreamily. She didn't reply and Craig gazed at her, confused. "Manny?"  
"Oh, yeah!" She cried, snapping out of her dream state and smiling up at him. "I had a good time, yeah."  
"Well, sorry again for ditching you." He spoke, looking to move past her and sit with Chloe, Jimmy, and Ashley. He made it almost halfway before she called him back.  
"I know how you could make it up to me." She told him, batting her eyelashes. He turned back to her.  
"How?"  
"You could take me to the movies. Or I could take you. Either way, we could go together." She finally stammered out, and Craig weighed his options. She deserved something; he had left her dateless at the party. Finally he nodded, and Manny cheered. "Great! Today then, after school? My dad won't let me stay out past five, so it'll have to be a short movie . . . " she started, about to launch in to a long winded explanation of her father's policies and procedures. Craig continued on to his friends.  
"That's fine, Manny. I'll see you after school." He interrupted, finally reaching the wall where his three friends sat talking. Ashley and Jimmy were holding hands, and Chloe was beaming.  
"I'm so happy for you guys." She cried, hugging them both. Craig smiled as he watched.  
"What's going on?" he asked, sitting down next to Chloe. Ashley and Jimmy smirked at him.  
"We're back together!" They cried in unison, then laughed at the cheesiness of it all. Craig's smile widened.  
"That's great, you guys." He replied, and Jimmy shook his head.  
"Forget about us, man. What about you? I heard Manny was going to ask you out. Has she gotten around to doing it yet?" he asked, and Craig colored. Chloe and Ashley both looked at him, eyebrows raised. "Could it be love?"  
Normally, Craig wouldn't have thought twice about Jimmy's comment. Now, sitting next to Chloe and feeling as he did, he couldn't take it.  
"I don't love Manny, okay! I just said yes because I felt bad!" He cried, standing up and stalking off. Jimmy and Ashley looked to Chloe, who merely shrugged. Nearby, Emma took off to find Manny and tell her what she'd heard. She found her friend in MI, typing 'Craig + Manny = LOVE' on her screen over and over again. When Manny saw her friend her face brightened and she began to talk rapidly.  
"Emma! Guess what? Craig and I are going on a date! This will be our second date this week; I really think he likes me. Do you think he'll ask me to the Fall Formal? I'll have to go look at dresses. I know the dance is only for seniors but I think you can get in if your date is one. Do you want to come with me this weekend, and pick out a dress? I was thinking something in a yellow, cause I like to be happy, or maybe an icy blue . . . " she chattered, before Emma could work up the nerve to speak.  
"Manny, stop! Craig doesn't like you! He just said yes to your date because he felt bad!" she spat out, and Manny's eyes narrowed.  
"You're just saying that because you want him for yourself. Craig would never do something like that!"  
"Yes, he would. I heard him telling Chloe, Ashley, and Jimmy that he wasn't in love with you." Emma replied, and Manny shook her head.  
"I never would have expected this from you, Emma. I thought you were a better friend than that." Manny spoke, turning on her heel and marching off to the washroom. 


	9. The Day After

Tuesday morning Craig appeared in the Library during Chloe and Ashley's study hall. He sat down with a thud and placed his head in his hands. Moaning pitifully, he succeeded in capturing the girls' attention. Ashley placed a consolatory hand on his shoulder.  
"That bad, huh?" She asked, and Craig nodded.  
"I swear, if I never hear another word about her stuffed animal collection it'll be too soon." He muttered, pushing back his hair and pressing his forehead against the cool desk. Ashley and Chloe both laughed loudly, and the librarian shot them a dirty look. Chloe gave him a pat on the back before standing up.  
"Sorry, Craig. I guess it just wasn't meant to be." She spoke, moving off toward the shelves. "Have either of you seen that Sartre book?"  
She wandered away to find the playwright section of the Library, and Ashley turned to Craig.  
"So, are you going to the Fall Formal?" She asked, and Craig shrugged.  
"I hadn't heard about it. When is it?"  
"The Friday before Halloween. It's the first formal, and it's usually the most important, next to Spring Formal, that is. Who would you take?" She asked, and Craig looked away. Ashley's mouth dropped open. "You already have someone in mind?!"  
"Well, sort of." He replied, praying that lightning would strike and Ashley would forget about the subject entirely. He would have no such luck, as she was hooked on the topic.  
"Who is it then? Is it a grade eight, like Emma or something? Or maybe someone in our grade, like Terri or Hazel? Maybe you're shooting for the stars, and want Paige. Am I right?" Craig was silent and Ashley's jaw dropped further. "Oh my god! It's Chloe, isn't it?!"  
"Shh!" Craig cried, clamping a hand over her mouth. Ashley was ecstatic.  
"I'm right, aren't I? You want to dance the night away with Chloe! That's so cute!"  
"So, do you think I have a chance?" He asked, leaning in and seeking advice. Ashley looked thoughtful.  
"Well, it all depends. I heard Spinner was thinking of asking her, but I'm not sure." She explained absently, gazing out the window in thought. Craig turned his head as she spoke, and was shocked to see Chloe standing across the library, Sartre book in hand. She was talking to Spinner, smiling and nodding. Craig leaped from his seat, tipping it over backwards and uprooting a stack of magazines piled on a nearby shelf. Ignoring the librarian's reprimand he sprinted across the room and grabbed Chloe's wrist.  
"Hey Chlo, can we talk?" he asked, tugging her away from Spinner. Chloe looked confused but nodded. When they finally reached the corner Craig took a deep breath and began to speak rapidly. "I was wondering if maybe you didn't have a date for the Fall Formal if maybe you'd think of going with me since I don't have a date either."  
Chloe looked bewildered as he finally stopped talking and gazed into her eyes intently. A remorseful look appeared on her face, and Craig's heart dropped. She shook her head.  
"I'm really sorry, Craig, but I can't. Spinner just asked me, and I said yes." She explained, placing a hand on his forearm. Craig could feel the heat on his face as he turned quickly to leave.  
"That's okay, I'll find someone else." He spoke, starting out the door.  
"Craig!" She called after him, but he didn't turn.  
"It's fine, Chlo. I'll just ask someone else." He called back, pushing open the door and escaping into the cool hallway. He had nearly reached the boys washroom when Manny again popped up in front of him, beaming.  
"Hey Craig! I had so much fun last night. We should really hang out again some time . . . " she spoke, and Craig nodded.  
"Yeah, Manny. Some other time . . ." he replied, looking to move past her. She wouldn't let him pass, though, and stepped to the side to block him.  
"Do you have a date for the Fall Formal?" She asked, and Craig bit his lip in thought.  
"No, no I don't. Manny, would you like to come with me?" he asked, wondering where the question was coming from. Pure joy appeared on her face as she jumped in the air.  
"Oh my god, you've got to be kidding! I would love to go with you! Oh, you'll have to get a tux; I'm going this weekend to get a dress. I think it will be black, so the corsage should match somehow . . . "  
"Corsage?" Craig asked, beginning to regret his hasty decision.  
"Yes corsage. I'll tell my father I'm staying at Emma's, and were you thinking of getting a limo?" She pressed on, dragging him down the hall and chattering happily. 


	10. The Fall Formal

A/N: Hey, do they have Halloween in Canada? Who knows . . . I guess it's not THAT important!  
So what if Craig's father turns into a senseless drunk? It's fiction!  
  
***  
Halloween approached much quicker than anyone could have expected. Suddenly all the store windows were filled with pumpkins and ghosts. Even the halls of Degrassi were awash in orange and black. Everyone was gearing up for the Fall Formal. Emma and Manny had come to a grudging truce, and they had gone together to pick out Manny's dress.  
Manny arrived at Emma's house right after school. Emma had kept the dress in her closet, so Manny's father wouldn't see it. It was something to see, too. It was black, and fell to her knees. There were several ties in the back, which crisscrossed her shoulders. Once she had it on, she slipped into her heels and Emma went to work on her hair. Once her make-up was on she looked three years older. The doorbell downstairs rang and together they raced to answer it. Craig stood outside, looking charming in his black tux.  
"Hey Manny, you look awesome." He spoke, slipping the corsage over her wrist. Manny nodded, and Emma nudged her.  
"Uh, yeah! You look really, really good too, Craig!" she cried, laughing hysterically. Craig furrowed his eyebrows.  
"Are you, uh, ready to go?" he asked, and Emma dove for the camera.  
"Just one picture, before you go." She said, as Manny threw her arms around her date. The picture Emma snapped later developed to show Craig looking extremely panicky, and Manny looking euphoric. The two said their final goodbye to Emma and started off toward the school. Craig hadn't, after all, gotten a limo, so it was a five-minute walk to the dance.  
As they approached, they could hear the pounding rhythm of the base as it poured out of the open door. Craig held out an arm with a smile, and Manny clutched it tightly. Together they walked up the stairs. Craig handed the doorman their tickets, and they passed under the arch and into the swirling, shiny gym turned ballroom.  
Once inside, they beheld the most amazing sight in Degrassi history. Dozens of couples, twirling around one another, all dressed in black. Black tuxedos, black dresses. Craig was even sure he saw several black corsages. Looking down at his own black tux he shook his head and led Manny over to Ashley and Jimmy, who were sitting at a nearby table.  
"Hey guys. Amazing, isn't it?" Jimmy asked, gesturing at the black clad couples.  
"A little freaky if you ask me." Manny piped up, looking down at her own black dress and sighing.  
"Are Chloe and Spinner here yet?" Craig asked, looking around the crowd for a blonde head. Jimmy shrugged.  
"Don't think so." He replied, and Ashley nudged him. Together they looked to the door, and Craig spun quickly to see what they were looking at. Chloe and Spinner had indeed just arrived, making more of a scene than any couple before them.  
Spinner wore an all white tuxedo, and on his lapel was pinned a red rose boutonniere. At his side stood Chloe, clad in a sparkly, deep red dress. It fell to her knees, the hem cut on a Spanish bias. The straps were thin and crossed her shoulders, attaching to the back of the dress and creating an X on her shoulder blades. Her blonde hair fell in natural waves down her back, and was pinned on one side with a sparkly rose barrette. They looked amazing, and Craig could feel his pulse pounding jealously in his throat.  
Spinner and Chloe moved across the room to where Jimmy, Manny, Craig, and Ashley were sitting. Ashley stood with a broad grin and they wrapped their arms around each other. Chloe kissed Ashley's cheek and they both sat down.  
"You look great!" they said in unison, then laughed. Jimmy turned to Spinner.  
"Nice tux, Spin. Goodwill?" He joked, and Spinner punched him on the arm.  
"Wish I could stay and exchange witty repartee with you, James my man, Miss Chloe and I are long overdue for a dance." He replied, grasping Chloe's hand and twirling her out onto the floor. Jimmy turned to Ashley.  
"Repartee?" he asked, and Ashley giggled.  
"It's the Chloe influence, works every time." She explained as Jimmy grasped her hand and followed suit.  
The dance went on for hours. Craig tried his hardest to avoid dancing with Manny. On her own she was a phenomenal dancer, but pair her with a boy she liked, and she had two left feet. As they danced Craig watched Spinner and Chloe whirling easily around the floor. Finally, his toes were too sore to continue, and he went with Manny to get a drink. As he was pouring two glasses of punch he looked across the room and saw his father arguing with the doorman.  
"Manny, stay here." He spoke, walking off quickly toward the door. When he arrived he took his father by the arm and led him out onto the street. His father reeked of alcohol.  
"Dad, what are you doing here? Are you drunk?" Craig asked as his father took grip of his wrist.  
"It's none of your business what I do with my life." He slurred, trying to pull his son toward the car.  
"Dad, you don't drink!" Craig started, but was interrupted as his father stumbled, sending Craig flying toward a bush.  
"I'll do whatever I please. You sound more like your mother ever day, the nagging shrew. Get in the car, we're going home." He replied, opening up the passenger side door and gesturing wildly.  
"Craig, don't go." Said a voice from behind him. He whirled around to find Chloe stationed at the top of the steps. Craig's father was furious.  
"You! I thought I got you away from my son, you meddling brat!" He garbled, lurching forward to pull his son into the car. Craig moved away back up the steps.  
"You can't keep burying your head in the sand, Craig. You've got to stand up for yourself." Chloe spoke, and Craig nodded.  
"I'm not going with you, Dad. If you try to force me I'll go inside and tell Mr. Simpson. I'll tell him everything." Craig threatened, and even in his father's drunken stupor the words hit home.  
"Fine, you ungrateful wretch, but I'll teach you a lesson tomorrow." He warned, peeling out of the parking lot. Chloe wrapped her arms around him and squeezed him tightly.  
"I'm so proud of you, Craig." She spoke, pulling away with a smile. Craig still stood, silent. Chloe frowned. "What's wrong?"  
"You should get back to the dance, Chlo. Spinner will wonder where you went." He replied, turning away angrily.  
"Spinner?" She asked, then laughed. "Craig, Spinner's just my date, not my boyfriend."  
Craig turned, suspicious.  
"Really?" He asked, and she nodded.  
"To be perfectly honest, I've always sort of had a thing for you." She replied, searching his wide eyes for a clue. A smile blossomed across his face and he laughed.  
"Really?" He asked. Chloe nodded and wrapped her arms around him again. This time, Craig kissed her. When they were finished, Chloe pulled away.  
"What about Manny?" She asked, and Craig paused in thought.  
"I never really liked her, you know that. I'll tell her in the morning. There's no point in ruining tonight for her." He replied, and Chloe nodded.  
"And Joey?"  
"I'll call him tomorrow." He promised, kissing her again. She smiled widely.  
"Tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow. What about tonight?" She asked teasingly. His smile matched hers.  
"Tonight, my dearest Chloe, tonight we dance." 


	11. AN

Hello everyone! I had so much fun writing "The Truth, or Something Like It" that I'm planning several sequels. In the weeks ahead, look for the following titles:  
  
-Something Familiar  
  
Craig's father completes counseling early, and wants his son  
  
back. Craig would (and does) do anything to escape him.  
  
-Clash of the Titans  
  
Chloe and Ellie finally meet, Ashley has a party, and things  
  
don't go exactly as planned.  
  
-Deception  
  
Chloe makes a startling discovery, and Craig finds himself  
  
strangely drawn to an old friend.  
  
-Spring Holiday  
  
Grade 9 spends Spring break in France, and some of Chloe's  
  
friends help the girls see the sights.  
  
-It's All in the Script  
  
It's finally time for grades 8 and 9 to put on the annual 8/9  
  
play. Who will be the star, and who will flop miserably? What  
  
will happen when friends and enemies collide?  
  
-Pressure Rising, Again  
  
Finals are approaching and the stress is rising. How are the  
  
kids going to handle it?  
  
-Summer Review  
  
Degrassi is full of talent. In the summer, that talent  
  
showcases itself at the Summer Review!  
  
-Community Service for Dummies  
  
The children at Angela's summer play group need supervision.  
  
Who will volunteer, and what are their motives?  
  
also, anyone writing an original character in this category should check out my new site:  
  
http://www.geocities.com/misstalya07/home.html 


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